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Thursday, 29 December 2016

28/12/16

After an early morning start at West Kirby it was a swift trip over to Bidston and the Docks to see if myself and Luke Anderson could catch up with a flock of 7 Waxwings flying NE over Leasowe Lighthouse. Waxwings are an irruptive species with the last time we had such vast numbers in the UK being in the winter of 2012/2013 were Merseyside was coated in them, there were counts of flocks of 150+ at Hamilton, yet despite this year being an "irruptive" year very few have been on Wirral this year.

1 of the 60c Waxwings currently wintering in St Asaph, today saw a large

influx into the North West including birds seen in Wirral, Liverpool, Manchester,

Warrington, Wigan & Preston.

Arriving by train it was the "Back Pools" which were the first stop off were apart from a flock of 4Teal & 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker there was also 1 LITTLE EGRET (1st winter), on the banks of the Birket which represents the first record of this ever expanding species for Bidston. The bird was flushed several times by passing dog walkers and cars before it flew NE along the Birket heading towards the Mersey.

Little Egret

Next off it was round to the main site were amongst the woods were several assorted tit flocks were gathering in the willows several Goldcrest were associating with them along. Meanwhile on the Mainlake 2 Water Rail were heard calling with on the lake itself 2 Great crested Grebe, 1 Mute Swan, 20c Coot, 5c Moorhen & 2 Mallard. Next it was round to the West Float Gull Roost were apart from 9 Common Snipe the highlights were 2 flocks of PINK-FOOTED GEESE numbering 70c birds which flew over heading SW towards the Dee Estuary.